Leaders lobby for MacDill to house tankers - TBO.com

""We think it will add to the strength of MacDill not only for the mission, but in helping Tampa continue to grow and add jobs in the area," said Carlos Del Castillo, one of a group of local leaders working to help the base win the competition for the tankers. "On top of that, we know the community is very supportive of MacDill and that is one of the key factors that is going to help the decision go in our favor."

Last month, the Air Force announced the criteria it will use to decide where to base the new KC-46A jet refueling tankers. The not-yet-built aircraft will replace the existing KC-135 Stratotanker jets first rolled out when Dwight Eisenhower was president.

Plenty of bases want the jets. Nearly 60 bases in 30 states are competing for the tankers; MacDill is one of seven bases in the running in Florida alone."

Leaders lobby for MacDill to house tankers | TBO.com

AF lays out criteria for basing new tanker - Air Force Times

"The Air Force set the stage earlier this month for what could be one of the most heated competitions in years by releasing its criteria for selecting the first three bases that will host the service’s next-generation KC-46A tankers.

The selection process comes amid the specter of another round of base closures, making the decision of which bases will host the tankers that much more important.

Ultimately, the Air Force plans to establish up to 10 main operating bases for the service’s 179 KC-46A tankers, which are meant to replace the aging tanker fleet, said Teran Judd, of the Air Force’s strategic basing division."
AF lays out criteria for basing new tanker - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

House, Senate face off over defense bill - POLITICO.com

"The nation’s mounting debt and persistent congressional gridlock could make some of the differences between the bill approved by the Republican-controlled House and the one making its way through the Democratic-controlled Senate all but impossible to reconcile.

Still, some members remain optimistic. “The Armed Services Committee may be the last bastion of bipartisanship remaining in this Congress,” Arizona Sen. John McCain, the top Republican on the Senate committee, told reporters last week."

House, Senate face off over defense bill - Austin Wright - POLITICO.com

VIDEO: Congressional Military Town Hall Meeting @ NWF State College - May 24, 2012 | ECiTV - Emerald Coast Internet Television

"Congressmen Jeff Miller (R-FL)Randy Forbes (R-VA) hosted a Congressional Military Town Hall meeting at the Leadership Institute, located in the new Student Center at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Florida on May 24, 2012. The purpose of this meeting was to allow the citizens of Northwest Florida to share their issues and stories concerning the cuts in the defense budget and benefits."

Congressional Military Town Hall Meeting @ NWF State College - May 24, 2012 | ECiTV - Emerald Coast Internet Television

Defense Professional Networking - Free Event in the Panhandle

Expand your professional network:

Who: Open to any and all Florida Defense Professionals

What: Panhandle Networking Event - Come meet and network with other local area defense contractors, businesses, and professionals.

When: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM CDT June 5, 2012

Where: Nick's Boathouse, Pensacola

How Much: Free (except for public officials subject to Florida's gift ban, such attendees will be responsible for covering their individual consumption costs)

Sponsored by: STOA Architects Please contact Bob Sidoti at Phone: 850-432-1912 Email: bsidoti@stoaarchitects.com if you have any questions.

Defense Professional Networking - Panhandle - Eventbrite

FLDC Welcomes New Preferred Vendor: ATS, LLC

ATS, LLC will provide its expertise to help FLDC Members expand their sales and marketing efforts in discreet areas where funding opportunities actually exist. ATS is very familiar with the current profile of the budgets of the Service Branches, the civilian offices within Department of Defense, and the Departments of Agriculture, Energy, Homeland Security, and Transportation.

ATS is a small boutique firm providing more attentive, real time and intimate support to its clients than its competitors.

ATS will work directly with the management of FLDC members to assist each Firm stabilize and realize new sales and has a record of about 70% success in delivering on assignments for their Clients. As a small example, in the current National Defense Authorization Act that was passed by the House of Representatives May 18, 2012, ATS lead and negotiated 8 separate included provisions for its client base totalling hundreds of millions in directed funding.

FLDC members receive a service contract discount of 15%. ATS engages on a fee for service basis, employing retainer contracts. ATS’ base fee provides each client three projects. Additional fees are required to go beyond that limit.

Additional details

Contact Jack DeMember at American Technology Specialists, LLC for more information and ask for your FLDC Membership special!
Phone: (508) 581-0293 Email: jdemember.ats@gmail.com

FLDC Welcomes New Charter Member: Federal Contracts Corp

Federal Contracts Corp is a certified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) whose mission is to provide manufacturers with the highest level of representation to Governmental Agencies and related markets, and to provide whatever services are needed to make Governmental purchasing of product as effortless as possible.

Federal Contracts Corp offers a wide variety of services to help Federal agencies and manufacturing corporations with their heavy equiptment sales, marketing, and purchasing needs.

Federal Contracts Corp provides services for:

GSA Schedule Contract Issuance
GSA Schedule Contract Maintenance
Procurement Assistance and more

More...